Poultry-picker.



J. G. MAG'LAREN. POULTRY PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2a, 1910.

Patented June 24, 1913.

W/ /VE SSE S: Zw MM.

- .tanins s. MACLAREN, or MAMABNECK, New4 Youn.

PO'ULTRY-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

. Application led 'March 28., 1910. SeriarNo. 551,970.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Gr. MAGLAREN,

ter and State of New York, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in loultry-lickers, of which the following 1s a specification.

The present invention has reference to poultry-picking devices, and 1t comprehends, briefly, an improved device of theA general class indicated in which a fork or comb is ut-ilized to hold down the skinof the fowl while 'the feathers are being withdrawn between the yprongs or teeth of the comb.u

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in j the accompanying drawing, whereof-A 'Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of the device taken on the line aff-y of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation with parts in section.' Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental front elevation of the several combs in eluded in the device, showing the positions assumed by the said combs when the handles are pressed together. And Figs. 4, 5 and 6 arerplan views of the individual combs, Figs. 5 and 6 being of a fragmental character. d

Corresponding parts or features'are indicated by throughout the several views.

As shown in said drawings, the device comprises the following main parts, viz: a pair of handles -A and B, of which lthe former is movable and the latter xed, and three forks or combs D, E and G arranged' in superposed relation, various' instrumentalities being provided for effecting f the requisite movements of the combs consequent upon the operation of the handles.

The stationary handle B is provided'v at its front or lower end withy a hollow arched orvdome-like hub B4 within wliich'is dis-V posed adepending vertical sleeve B3. This sleeve is constructed integral with the said hubA and is designed to act as. a support or journal whereon is lrotatably fitted a'sleeve A5 that, in like manner, is disposed within Vand formed integralwith the hub A2 in the lower end of the movable handle A. 1 The upper portions .of the hubs A2 and B* similar reference characters.

understood.

are provided with registering perfor-ations through which projects the threaded upper of Mamaroneck, in the county of Westchesend of the vertical bolt C that is fitted witli in the sleeve B3 and is provided to retain the combs D and E in place, as hereinafter described. These combs are shown as in the form of Hat plates having forwardly projecting teeth or prongs, the body portion of the middle comb E having the greatest width. KThe comb D is, by preference, of two-part construction', the upper member -or section D5 thdreof being mounted upon the rear portion of the body of the main or lower member and being riveted to the same.

Comb D is designed for longitudinal movement upon and relative to comb E, and both vof the combs just mentioned are de-. signed to' be raised and subsequently lowered in unison from and toward the bottom comb G. To effect the first mentioned movement,

the lower edge of hub B4 is provided at its frorft and rear portions with a 'pair 0f dependingprojections B and B2, of which the front projection B extends through a5 longitudinal slot DI formed in' the body por-- tion of comb D directly adjacent to thel front edge of the upper comb section D5 and fits in a sea-t Ethatv is formed in the body portion of comb E in registration with said" slot,'while the rear projection B2 vfits in a seat E2 formed in the rear edge of the afresaidv body port-ion of comb E. The lower front edgeof the hub A2 is in like mannerl provided with a similar projection A' whichv fits 'in a seat D2that is formed in the front .edge of the comb section D5 and extends through the body portion of comb D. The arrangement is such, therefore, that whenthe handle A is pressed -toward handle B, the engagement of projection A in seatl D2 will cause comb D to move toward the:

left upon combv E, the latter being held' stationary during that time by the engagement of projections B andV B2 in seats E and E2 .and the passage of the said projection B through slot D', When handle A is released, it' will automatically assume lts original position under the iniiuence of a suitable spring H, lwhich is engaged with both handles, and in so doing will effect the return movement of comb D, as will be Patented J une 24, 1913. f

Combs D and' E are held in contact with each other through the agency of bolt C, as above stated this result beingv obtained byy fitting the headed lower end of the bolt in a countersunk seat or opening E in comb E, and by applying to the threaded u perend of the bolt a nut C2, between w,v ich and the top of hub B4is interposed arsp'ring washer-0'.. The said washer lmposes a tension directly upon the top of the hub B4,

the'tension being transmitted to the top of f' is provided ,with pairs of longitudinally disleft in the slots E4 and E4 yin the lugs E posed lugs D6 and D7 which are arranged in spaced parallel relation and are formed with short oppositely disposed or aliningl slots D3 and D4, the said slots receiving, respectively, the cross-pins F3 and F4. These pins are normally disposed in the left-hand ends of the corresponding slots and their terminals are tted in centrally located openings pfovided in pairs of links F and F that are fulcrumed ,at their lower ends on cross-pins G and ,G2 mountedin upstanding U-shaped brackets G3 and G4 fastened by rivets or the like upon the ends ofthe bottom comb G. The brackets Gra` and G4, and the pairs of links F and F are disposed between the pairs of lugs D6 and D7, and the upper ends of the aforesaid. pairs of links are connected, in turn, by cross-pins F5 and F, whose terminals are slidably fitted in alining pairs of slots E3 vand E4 which are formed in pairs of spaced, parallel upstanding lugs E and E7.' The lugs E9 and E7 are rigidly fastened upon the ends of the middle comb E and are disposed upon the opposite sides of the pairs of lugs D6 and D7, the pins F4 and F4 being vnormally disposed atx the right-hand endsof the 'slots E4 and E4. In consequence of this arrangement, it will be apparent, that when handle A is pressed toward handle B, the

Acomb D, during its initial movement toward the left, will pull pins F3 and F4 in the same direction, and since these pins are connected to the pairs of links F and F', which are fulcrumed at their lower ends upgn'pins Gr and Gthe said links'will also be rocked or swung in the same direction. When the links are moved the manner just described, the pins F5 and F that connect theirl upper ends are forced lto travel toward th E7, but 'since the bottom comb G (on which the brackets Gr,` and G4, 4carrying the fulcrun pins G and Gr-2 are mounted) is designed to be pressed against the skin of the fowl and,

accordingly, lis maintainedv in fixed positiori during the operation of the device, the travel inocente of said pins F4 andFG in the rslots E4 and) E4 will, of necessity, result in both the middle and upper combs E and D being raised bodily yin unison above comb G into the posh tion shown in Figzr, this being due to the against thefowl, with the three combs G, E 1 and D in mutual contact and the teeth of the away from comb G, which latter remains pressed against the skin of the fowl. The upward movement of the said combs D and E causes them topull out the feathers that are clamped between them. When handle A- is released,'all parts assume their normal relative positions and the device is ready for effected and the combs D and E raised bodily a repetition of this operation until the fowl y is -denuded of itsfeathers. .r

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters-Fat ent is as follows: Y

1. A poultry picker comprising in com` bination means for holding down the fowl, a'plurality of movable combs, means for producing relative motion of said combs for gripping `the feathers, and means for moving said movable combs in a group with relation to said holdihgmeans.

5 2. A poultry picker comprising in combination a holding comb, a plurality'of movable combs above said holding comb, means for producing relative motion of said latter combs for gripping'the feathers, and means for drawing sald movable said holding. comb.

ffowls, a comb arranged to enterbetween the feathers, and a pair of plucking members relatively movable to said comb for drawing -the feathers through the comb, the movement of one of lsaid plucking members being perf allel to the teeth of the' comb. v 7

4. In a device for plucking feathers from' combs away from.

115 3. ln a device for plucking feathers from 'fowls, a comb arranged to enter between the l feathers, and a pair of movable membersu disposed above said coinb in close proximity to engage the other member for frictiona thereto, one of said members being arrangd holding the' feathers between the two *memneme to this specification in the presence of bers and both of said movable members havtwo subscribing witnesses, this twentying a conjoint movement for pulling the second clay of March A. D. 1910.

feathers through the comb, the movement of JAMES G. MACLAREN. .E onerof said members being parallel to the Witnesses:

teeth of the comb. e j MATILDA C'. RIFKIN,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my J GANNT. 

